Rajasthan, Madhya Pradesh, Chhattisgarh, Telangana and Mizoram are headed for assembly elections amid varying retail inflation numbers. Rajasthan’s at 6.53% is above the RBI’s upper tolerance band. Mint explains the relevance of inflation to the elections.
Oct 17, 2023•6 min•Ep. 242
Earlier this month, carmaker Hyundai announced plans to offer advanced driver assistance systems (ADAS) across its entire product range in India. Why has it become fashionable to talk about ADAS and what is spurring its growth? Tune in Now.
Oct 16, 2023•6 min•Ep. 241
Southern states are on a borrowing spree. In the second quarter of 2023-24, all of them—barring Karnataka—have gone way beyond their planned borrowing limits. Why is this so? And how have the other states fared?
Oct 13, 2023•7 min•Ep. 240
Israel is at war with Hamas, the latest chapter in an enervating cycle of violence. Why has the Palestine question remained unresolved for so long? Mint takes a look at the past, present, and future of this festering conflict and its implications for the world and Indian economy.
Oct 12, 2023•7 min•Ep. 239
Claudia Goldin, an economic historian and professor at Harvard University bagged this year’s Nobel prize in economics for her pioneering research that advances our understanding of labour market outcomes for women.
Oct 11, 2023•6 min•Ep. 238
The Ministry of Corporate Affairs (MCA) is automating its compliance system with artificial intelligence (AI) and machine learning (ML) tools. But decisions such as serving notices on companies will be left to (human) officials to make.
Oct 10, 2023•6 min•Ep. 237
The Chungthang dam in Sikkim, the source for a hydropower plant, collapsed last week, killing 30 people. Recently, other states have also witnessed catastrophes involving large dams leading to floods and landslides. Just how safe are these mega-projects? Mint explains.
Oct 09, 2023•6 min•Ep. 236
The Reserve Bank of India’s (RBI’s) monetary policy committee (MPC) is set to deliver its decision on the policy repo rate today, with the market expecting a status quo despite the surge in prices amid a hardening of bond yields. A pause, nevertheless, would be a challenge.
Oct 06, 2023•6 min•Ep. 235
A malaria vaccine developed by Oxford University and Serum Institute of India (SII) has been recommended for large-scale use by the World Health Organization (WHO). The R21/Matrix-M—only the second malaria jab—has shown up to 75% efficacy.
Oct 05, 2023•6 min•Ep. 234
Andhra Pradesh’s new Guaranteed Pension System (GPS) is a hybrid of the old and new pension schemes. It offers the best of both worlds—a guaranteed pension without burdening the state significantly. Mint looks at its potential to salvage India’s hard-fought pension reforms.
Oct 04, 2023•5 min•Ep. 233
The European Union’s (EU’s) carbon tax—the Carbon Border Adjustment Mechanism (CBAM)—came into effect on 1 October, causing a wedge between developing and developed countries. Interestingly, it is facing resistance from even within Europe. Tune in now for the breakdown
Oct 03, 2023•6 min•Ep. 232
The latest tranche of sovereign gold bonds (SGBs) saw investors subscribing to a record number of units. Mint looks at the reasons for this high interest in SGBs, gold’s clout as a hedge against inflation and the outlook for the yellow metal.
Sep 29, 2023•6 min•Ep. 231
The central government on Tuesday announced that it will borrow ₹6.55 trillion during the second half of the ongoing fiscal year, keeping its borrowing plans unchanged. Mint explains the relevance of this for the Indian economy.
Sep 29, 2023•6 min•Ep. 230
In todays primer we take a look in the world of Gambling firms and the stance of the DGGI levying taxes on these firms in regards to a lot of under the table tax evasion and discrepancies, The gaming industry criticizes these claims, considering them disproportionate, and questions the legal basis for such retrospective claims, which were not recommended by the finance minister in the GST Council meeting. Tune in now for the whole story
Sep 27, 2023•6 min•Ep. 229
in today's primer we take a look at how recent data indicates a notable reduction in delays associated with the completion of real estate projects. This positive trend can be largely attributed to the pivotal role played by the implementation of the Real Estate (Regulation and Development) Act, 2016, commonly known as RERA. Tune in now
Sep 26, 2023•7 min•Ep. 228
Taxes on oil make up a chunk of government revenue. Surging interest in electric vehicles, however, puts this under threat. Distance tax is touted as one way to offset any loss in revenue. What is it, how effective will it be, and how does it work? Sumant Banerji explains the reasons behind it. This episode is being hosted by Alisha Sachdev.
Aug 10, 2023•7 min•Ep. 227
In a surprise move, the government last week reintroduced licensing and ended free imports of IT hardware. Many reasons have been cited for this step. Mint explains the possible rationale and the potential impact of the measure going forward. This episode is being hosted by Alisha Sachdev.
Aug 08, 2023•7 min•Ep. 226
After five years and multiple iterations, the Digital Personal Data Protection (DPDP) Bill was tabled in Parliament on Thursday. Featuring a number of changes from the 2022 draft, the bill is a mixed bag. Shouvik Das, Gulveen Aulakh gives you the top five takeaways. This episode is being hosted by Alisha Sachdev.
Aug 04, 2023•6 min•Ep. 225
India’s foreign exchange reserves, which peaked at $642 billion in October 2021, declined for most part of last year. The trend reversed this year with forex reserves touching a 15-month high of $609 billion as of 14 July. Mint explains the reasons behind this rise.
Aug 02, 2023•7 min•Ep. 223
Luxury car sales were at record levels in the first half of 2023. Should the trend continue, the industry could log an all-time high for the full year. What explains this frenzy, who are the major benefactors and how long will it sustain? Sumant Banerji explains the reasons behind this rise. This episode is being hosted by Alisha Sachdev.
Aug 02, 2023•6 min•Ep. 224
Mint's Alisha Sachdev discusses how car design and safety criss-cross and interact when it comes to building a new vehicle, with Tata Motors' Head of Global Design Martin Uhlarik. How does the company balance price, style, function and safety? What changes will autonomous driving bring? Tune in to this special episode for plenty of food for thought.
Jul 27, 2023•54 min•Ep. 222
Smartphone sales in India have been falling, with the entry and mid-tier segment the most impacted. In the first half of 2023, overall sales dropped below the 50-million-unit mark. Why are sales declining and what do we expect for the rest of the year? Sumant Banerji finds out.
Jul 24, 2023•7 min•Ep. 221
Around 135 million Indians exited ‘multidimensional poverty’, a measure of deprivation beyond money, between 2015-16 and 2019-21, the Niti Aayog says. The basis of calculation is the National Family Health Survey (NFHS). Mint's Tanay Sukumar explains. This episode is being hosted by Prasid Banerjee.
Jul 19, 2023•8 min•Ep. 220
As India and the UK discuss a range of goods in talks on a free trade deal, proposals for whisky are proving hard to swallow for both sides. That’s because Indians are the world’s biggest consumers of Scotch and UK the biggest producer. Mint's Ravi Dutta Mishra takes a look at the bigger picture. This episode is being hosted by Alisha Sachdev.
Jul 18, 2023•7 min•Ep. 219
If you are planning to buy an SUV (sport utility vehicle) or MUV (multi-utility vehicle) the GST Council’s decision to change the definition of UVs that attract a compensation cess of 22% may have implications. Mint's Alisha Sachdev explains the changes and their impact on buyers.
Jul 14, 2023•8 min•Ep. 218
The ₹386 crore Chandrayaan-1 was successful. Its orbiter kept orbiting around the Moon for 312 days conducting experiments while its impact probe landed on the lunar surface and discovered signs of water. The ₹850 crore Chandrayaan-2’s mandate was bigger. This episode is being hosted by Prasid Banerjee.
Jul 13, 2023•6 min•Ep. 217
Heavy rainfall across North India has pushed monsoon into surplus territory for the entire country. But instead of cheer, the sudden deluge served as a grim reminder of recurrent climate shocks and the resultant human and economic toll. Mint's Sayantan Bera and Puja Das explain. This episode is being hosted by Alisha Sachdev.
Jul 13, 2023•7 min•Ep. 216
With unhealthy diets becoming a global public health concern, the World Health Organization (WHO) has recommended mandatory restrictions on marketing junk food to children, terming it a harmful practice. Mint's Sayantan Bera explains why it is critical for India to act fast. This episode is being hosted by Alisha Sachdev.
Jul 11, 2023•7 min•Ep. 215
Offices are emptying out as new property supplies hit the market and users exit for cheaper and more space-efficient spaces as they adopt hybrid work models. Will this demand-supply mismatch see vacant office stocks rise further? Madhurima Nandy explores. This episode is being hosted by Alisha Sachdev.
Jul 10, 2023•7 min•Ep. 214
On 4 July, Reliance subsidiary Jio Platforms launched a 4G-equipped feature phone, called Jio Bharat 4G, for under ₹1,000. Other Indian brands also plan to launch inexpensive smartphones. After having lost out to Chinese brands nearly a decade ago, can the Indian brands cut it in today’s market? Mint's Shouvik Das decodes. This episode is being hosted by Alisha Sachdev.
Jul 07, 2023•7 min•Ep. 213